Healthcare in Latvia: A Complete Guide for Newcomers

Healthcare in Latvia: what newcomers need to know

Moving to Latvia to work, study or start a new chapter comes with many practical questions. One of the most important is what to do if you need medical care before you have fully understood the local healthcare system.

Latvia has both state-funded and private healthcare services. Which option is available to you—and how much you will need to pay—depends on several factors, including your residence status, employment, social insurance, country of insurance and whether you hold a European Health Insurance Card.

This guide explains how healthcare in Latvia works for foreigners, how to find a family doctor or specialist, when a referral is required and what to do if you need medical assistance urgently.

Public and private healthcare in Latvia

Latvia has a state-funded healthcare system administered by the National Health Service, known in Latvian as the Nacionālais veselības dienests or NVD. Alongside it, Latvia has a well-developed private healthcare sector.

Both systems are provided by registered medical institutions and qualified healthcare professionals. The main differences are how services are accessed, how quickly an appointment may be available and who pays for the treatment.

Latvia has both state-funded and private healthcare services. The main differences involve eligibility, referrals, waiting times and how the treatment is paid for.

Feature	State-funded healthcare	Private healthcare
Eligibility	Depends on your legal status and the applicable Latvian healthcare eligibility rules.	Available to anyone who pays for the service or has suitable insurance.
Registration	Registration with a family doctor is normally required for ongoing primary care.	Prior registration with a family doctor is usually not required.
Specialist referral	Usually required, although certain specialists can be consulted directly.	Usually not required.
Waiting time	Planned consultations and examinations may involve waiting several weeks or longer.	Appointments are often available sooner.
Language	Depends on the healthcare provider and individual medical professional.	English is commonly available at clinics serving international patients.
Cost	State-set patient co-payments may apply to covered services.	The patient or insurer pays according to the clinic’s price list.

Eligibility and coverage depend on the patient’s individual circumstances. Travellers should check the conditions of their EHIC, travel insurance or private health insurance before receiving care.

A person may use both systems. For example, you can remain registered with a state-funded family doctor but choose a private specialist when you want an earlier appointment or a consultation in a particular language.

Who can receive state-funded healthcare in Latvia?

Eligibility for state-funded healthcare is not determined by citizenship alone. It may depend on your residence status, employment, social insurance and European social-security arrangements.

People who may be entitled to state-funded healthcare include:

• Latvian citizens and Latvian non-citizens;
• foreigners holding a permanent residence permit in Latvia;
• citizens of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland who work or are self-employed in Latvia;
• certain family members of insured EU or EEA workers;
• refugees and people who have been granted alternative protection;
• people covered through European social-security coordination, including those with an applicable S1 form;
• children whose healthcare rights arise through their parent or legal representative.

The exact rules can be more complicated than this summary suggests. A temporary residence permit, student status or employment contract does not always produce the same healthcare rights in every situation.

EU students temporarily living in Latvia may, for example, use an EHIC issued by their country of insurance for medically necessary state-provided care. Other international students may need private health insurance as part of their residence arrangements.

If you are unsure whether you are covered, contact the Latvian National Health Service before relying on the public system. The NVD can confirm whether you are registered as eligible for state-funded healthcare and explain which documents are required.

How much does healthcare cost in Latvia?

People entitled to state-funded treatment usually pay a fixed patient co-payment rather than the full cost of the service. However, not every examination, procedure or medicine is fully covered.

Common state-set co-payments include:

Typical patient co-payments

Patients eligible for state-funded healthcare may be required to make a fixed co-payment for certain consultations and treatments.

State-funded service	Typical patient co-payment
Family doctor appointment for a patient under 65	€2.00
Family doctor appointment for a patient aged 65 or older	€1.00
Specialist consultation	€4.00
State-funded day hospital treatment	€7.00 per day
Inpatient hospital treatment	Generally €10.00 per day, starting from the second day
Family doctor home visit for a patient older than 80	€2.85

These amounts apply to eligible state-funded services. Some patient groups are exempt from co-payments, and different rates may apply to particular treatments. Check the current information on the Latvian National Health Service website .

Additional payments may apply to certain diagnostic examinations, procedures or surgical treatment. Some medical institutions may also charge for optional services that are not covered by the state.

There are limits on the total amount of patient co-payments. Under the current system, a patient generally should not pay more than €355 for one hospital treatment episode or more than €570 in eligible patient co-payments during one calendar year.

Receipts are important if you intend to apply for an exemption after reaching the annual limit.

Certain groups are exempt from patient co-payments. These include children under 18, as well as several other groups defined by Latvian regulations. Pregnant women and women during the postpartum period are exempt when the healthcare service is connected with pregnancy and postnatal care.

Because payments and exemptions can change, check the current NVD information on patient co-payments before treatment.

What does private healthcare cost in Latvia?

Private clinics set their own prices. You pay the clinic directly or use private health insurance if the service is covered by your policy.

The total cost depends on:

• the doctor’s specialty;
• whether diagnostic tests are needed;
• whether an ultrasound or another examination is performed;
• laboratory tests;
• medical procedures;
• whether the insurer has a direct-payment agreement with the clinic.

At Republikas laukuma klīnika, a private family doctor consultation costs €60. Laboratory tests, diagnostic examinations and procedures are charged separately where required.

Before attending a private appointment, ask whether your insurer will pay the clinic directly or whether you must pay first and later request reimbursement. Even if a clinic accepts insurance, your particular policy may not cover every consultation, test or procedure.

Using an EHIC in Latvia

If you are insured in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or another participating country, the European Health Insurance Card, commonly called EHIC, may give you access to medically necessary state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in Latvia.

You will normally need to present:

• a valid EHIC;
• a passport or national identity card;
• any additional documents requested by the healthcare provider.

EHIC allows eligible visitors to receive medically necessary care under broadly the same conditions and at the same patient cost as people insured in Latvia. This means that Latvian patient co-payments may still apply.

EHIC does not normally cover:

• treatment at a private clinic that does not provide the relevant state-funded service;
• planned treatment for which Latvia is the specific purpose of the journey;
• medical repatriation to your home country;
• private accommodation or other optional hospital services;
• services that are not covered by the Latvian state system.

EHIC is designed primarily for temporary stays. It should not automatically be treated as a replacement for appropriate long-term insurance after relocating to Latvia.

More information is available from the European Commission’s EHIC guidance.

Do you need health insurance when moving to Latvia?

Private health insurance may be necessary if you are not entitled to state-funded healthcare or cannot use an EHIC or another European healthcare document.

It may also be useful even if you qualify for state-funded care because private insurance can cover:

• private family doctor appointments;
• consultations without a referral;
• faster access to specialists;
• diagnostic examinations;
• laboratory tests;
• physiotherapy or other outpatient services;
• treatment that is not fully covered by the state.

Always read the policy conditions carefully. Some policies have waiting periods, annual limits, exclusions for existing conditions or requirements to obtain the insurer’s approval before an examination or procedure.

Travel insurance is not necessarily the same as comprehensive health insurance for someone living in Latvia long term.

Registering with a family doctor in Latvia

A family doctor is usually the first point of contact within the state-funded healthcare system. In Latvian, a family doctor is called a ģimenes ārsts.

The family doctor can:

• assess new symptoms;
• diagnose and treat common illnesses;
• manage chronic conditions;
• prescribe medication;
• order appropriate investigations;
• issue sick-leave documents when medically justified;
• provide referrals for state-funded specialist consultations;
• coordinate preventive care and screening.

Family doctor practices serve defined geographical areas. A doctor will generally register patients whose declared place of residence is located within the practice’s main service area. A doctor may agree to register someone living outside that area, but acceptance is not always guaranteed.

It is sensible to register before you become ill. When contacting a practice, ask:

• whether the doctor accepts new patients;
• whether the practice provides consultations in English;
• which documents you must bring;
• whether your status allows you to receive state-funded services;
• how urgent appointments are organised.

Can you see a specialist without a referral?

For most state-funded specialist consultations, you will need a referral from a family doctor or another doctor entitled to issue one.

Some specialists may be available without a referral under specific state-funded arrangements, but the rules depend on the service and the patient’s condition.

A private specialist can usually be booked directly without a referral. This can be useful if:

• you have not yet registered with a Latvian family doctor;
• you want an appointment sooner;
• you need a consultation in English;
• you already know which specialist you need;
• your insurance covers private outpatient treatment.

A specialist may still ask for previous medical records, test results or a medication list. A referral may therefore be clinically helpful even when it is not administratively required.

Finding an English-speaking doctor in Riga

English-speaking medical care is available in Riga, especially in private clinics and larger medical centres. However, language availability varies between doctors, so it is best to confirm it when booking.

Prepare the following information before your appointment:

• your identification document;
• EHIC or insurance information;
• a list of current medications and doses;
• information about allergies;
• relevant diagnoses and previous operations;
• recent test results or medical reports;
• a short description of your symptoms and when they began.

If your medical records are not in Latvian or English, ask whether a translation is necessary. For complex medical histories, a clear written summary can make the consultation more effective.

What to do if you need urgent medical care

For a life-threatening emergency, call:

• 113 — Emergency Medical Service in Latvia;
• 112 — the general EU emergency number.

Calls to these numbers are free.

Call for emergency assistance if someone has symptoms such as:

• severe difficulty breathing;
• loss of consciousness;
• signs of a stroke;
• severe chest pain;
• major bleeding;
• a serious accident or injury;
• seizures that do not stop;
• another condition that may threaten life or cause serious harm.

Emergency services will assess the situation and provide the necessary assistance. Whether the subsequent treatment is fully covered may depend on your residence status, EHIC, private insurance or another applicable healthcare arrangement.

For urgent but non-life-threatening problems, contact a family doctor, an out-of-hours medical service or a private clinic. If the symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening or you are uncertain whether the situation is dangerous, call 113.

Getting prescriptions and medicines in Latvia

Medicines that require a prescription must be prescribed by a doctor authorised to practise in Latvia or through a recognised cross-border prescription arrangement.

Latvia widely uses electronic prescriptions. When collecting prescribed medicine from a pharmacy, you may need to show a passport, identity card or another accepted identification document.

Whether a medicine is reimbursed depends on:

• your eligibility for state-funded healthcare;
• the diagnosis;
• the medicine prescribed;
• the applicable reimbursement category;
• whether all prescribing conditions have been met.

A medicine reimbursed in another country will not necessarily be reimbursed on the same terms in Latvia.

Bring enough of your regular medication for the initial period after moving, where legally permitted. It is also useful to bring a medical summary showing the active ingredient, dose and reason for taking each medicine.

When private healthcare may be the simpler option

Private care can be practical during the first weeks after arriving in Latvia, especially if you have not yet confirmed your public healthcare status or registered with a family doctor.

It may also be suitable when you want:

• direct access to a family doctor or specialist;
• an appointment without a referral;
• an English-speaking doctor;
• a clearly stated private price;
• consultation, diagnostics and laboratory testing coordinated through one clinic.

Private care does not replace emergency medical services. A private outpatient clinic may refer you to a hospital if your condition requires emergency treatment, inpatient care or diagnostic facilities that are not available at the clinic.

Frequently asked questions about healthcare in Latvia

Is healthcare free in Latvia?

Not completely. Eligible patients receiving state-funded care usually pay relatively small fixed co-payments. Additional charges can apply to certain examinations, procedures or services.

Children and several other patient groups are exempt from co-payments under defined conditions.

Can foreigners receive healthcare in Latvia?

Yes. Anyone can receive private medical care by paying directly or using appropriate insurance. Access to state-funded healthcare depends on factors such as residence status, employment, social insurance and European healthcare arrangements.

Do EU citizens automatically receive free healthcare in Latvia?

No. EU citizenship alone does not mean that every healthcare service is free.

An EU citizen may be covered because they work and are socially insured in Latvia, have registered an S1 form, hold a valid EHIC during a temporary stay or qualify under another legal arrangement. Co-payments may still apply.

Can I visit a private doctor without registering in Latvia?

Yes. Private clinics generally allow direct booking without registering with a family doctor. You will normally need to show identification and pay according to the clinic’s price list unless the cost is covered by insurance.

Do I need a referral to see a private specialist?

Usually not. However, the specialist may need previous medical reports or test results to make an appropriate assessment.

Can I use EHIC at a private clinic?

Usually not for services provided entirely on a private-payment basis. EHIC applies to medically necessary state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay and only when the relevant provider supplies the service within the state-funded system.

A clinic may provide both state-funded and private services, so always confirm which type of appointment you are booking.

What number should I call in an emergency?

Call 113 for the Latvian Emergency Medical Service. You can also call 112, the general EU emergency number. Both calls are free.

Can I receive a consultation in English?

Many doctors in Riga provide consultations in English, particularly in private clinics. Language availability should be confirmed when booking because it varies between individual specialists.

Medical appointments in central Riga

If you need a doctor in Riga without first registering with a family doctor, Republikas laukuma klīnika provides private consultations with family doctors and medical specialists.

A referral is generally not required for a private appointment. Consultations may be available in Latvian, English or Russian, depending on the selected doctor. Laboratory testing and diagnostic examinations can be arranged when medically indicated.

Republikas laukuma klīnika is located at Republikas laukums 3–18, on the first floor of Centra nams. The entrance is on the side facing the Ministry of Agriculture.

Appointment and language availability should be confirmed when booking.

This article provides general information and does not replace individual guidance from the Latvian National Health Service, an insurer or a healthcare professional. Eligibility rules, co-payments and service availability may change.